saddles, rode off, setting the
heat at defiance. They had been gone scarcely half an hour when Archie
Sandys, who was doing duty as sentry, and had posted himself on a height
from whence he could command a view of most of the approaches to the
house on the and south, came hurrying in with the information that he
had seen a large body of blacks moving along from the latter direction.
"They looked exactly like a swarm of ants as they came over the hill,"
he observed. "Hark! you can already hear the shrill notes of their
horns."

"Then to arms, my friends!" cried the lieutenant. "We must man our
lines, but don't let a shot be fired till I give the order."

All arrangements had previously been made; each gentleman having a
certain number of men placed under him, while the two orderlies were to
act as the lieutenant's aides-de-camp. To each party was assigned the
defence of a certain portion of the lines, so that the moment the order
was issued the entire garrison knew where they were to go.
Notwithstanding the absence of Major Malcolm and those who had
accompanied him, they felt secure in their numbers and fortifications.

The shouts and shrieks of the rebels and the sound of their horns were
now distinctly heard as they hurried on to attack the house, fully
expecting to surround it, and in a few minutes to massacre the
inhabitants, as they had done those of several other pens they had
already attacked, little dreaming of finding it so strongly garrisoned
and fortified.

"Keep under cover, my men," cried the lieutenant, as the enemy were seen
marching from the wood and running forward without order into the open;
"our fire will stagger them, and probably make them scamper off, if we
reserve it till they come sufficiently near for each man to take a good
aim. Don't throw a bullet away. Aim low, remember--aim low!"

As the rebel blacks advanced, they discovered that there was something
unusual about the house, and at length began to suspect that it was
fortified in a way to which they were unaccustomed. They accordingly
halted, and were seen talking eagerly to each other, while they held
their muskets pointing towards the building.

Their leader, whom Archie recognised as the ugly negro he had seen at
the Jumby dance, went among them vociferating loudly, and endeavouring
to induce them to advance. Thus encouraged, they rushed forward, firing
their muskets; many of them, who had put the butts against their eyes,